Refrigerator



May 26, 1936. E. WENANDER 2,042,373

' REFRIGERATOYR Filed May 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ,125. Z. O

INVENTOR.

Erik Wencmder- A T TO'RNE Y M y 26, 1936. EWENANDER 2 042,313

REFRIGERATOR Filed May 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Enk Wenonder.

ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATOR Erik Wenander, Motala, Sweden, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Serve], Inc., Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application May 10, 1932, Serial No. 610,363 In Germany July 24, 1931 13 Claims.

invention relates to refrigeration and more particularly to small household refrigerators of the type in which a refrigerating unit is removably assembled with a cabinet.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a simple household refrigerator which may either stand on the floor or hang on the wall and in which a refrigerating apparatus, with its heat emitting parts located in an air circulating flue, is readily removable as a unit from the cabinet, thereby affording ready interchangeability of units and cabinets.

Further advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a refrigerator contemplated by this invention;

Fig. 2, a section taken on line 22 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3, a section taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4, an exploded view showing the removability of the several parts.

9' Referring to the drawings, the refrigerator shown in vertical section in Fig. 1 comprises two principal parts; a suitably insulated cabinet l0 enclosing a refrigerating compartment ll accessible through a door l2, and a refrigerating unit l3. These parts are shown separated in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the unit l3 comprises an open box-like framework closed at two sides by plates l4 and I5 leaving the top, bottom, and other two sides open. On this frame is mounted the refrigerating apparatus with the heat emitting parts l6 within the structure and the evaporator ll extending outwardly through one of the open sides. For purposes of illustration there is shown absorption refrigerating apparatus of the pressure equalized type having all the parts in open fluid communication and in which circulates an inert pressure equalizing medium such as hydrogen. For a detailed description and explanation of operation of this type of apparatus, reference may be had to Patent No. 1,609,334, Baltzar C. von Platen et al. and Patent No. 1,808,723 to Carl G. Munters.

The generator l8, absorber l9, condenser 2|, rectifier 22, and liquid heat exchanger 23 are all within the lower part of the framework and the gas heat exchanger 24 extends horizontally through an open side of the framework and conveniently supports the evaporator I! at its outer end. The side plates l4 and I5 may be provided with downwardly extending portions to form the rear legs 31 of the refrigerator or these legs may be made separately and demountably attached by bolts 25 as shown. The upper crossbar 28 at the rear of the apparatus framework may be provided with hook or eyelet portions 21 by which the refrigerator can be hung against a wall.

The refrigerator cabinet I0 is generally of any desired construction providing a heat insulated refrigerating compartment il accessible through a heat insulated door l2. In accordance with this invention a section of the bottom of the cabinet is omitted or out out, forming a channel or recess 28 extending forwardly from the rear edge of the cabinet and adapted to receive the connection from the evaporator to the. other portions of the refrigerating apparatus which is the portion of the gas heat exchanger 24 extending outwardly from the mounting frame of the unit. An aperture 29 from the recess 28 into the refrigerating compartment H is provided for the insertion of the evaporator I'I into the refrigerating compartment when the cabinet and unit are assembled, as hereafter described.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the apparatus unit l3 and cabinet II] are conveniently assembled by lowering the latter from a position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 down over the evaporator ll until the latter projects upwardly through the aperture 29 into the refrigerating compartment H and the gas heat exchanger 24 is positioned within the recess 28. The cabinet is secured in position to the mounting frame of the unit by any convenient means such as screws 30. The recess 28 is then .covered by a heat insulated wall section 3| and the aperture 29 is sealed by a gasket 32 placed between the evaporator I1 and a rim 33 around the aperture 29 which is conveniently formed by flanging up the liner of the cabinet around the aperture. After the cabinet and refrigerating unit are assembled, the cooling element herein referred to as a chilliator 34 is placed in the refrigerating compartment and secured to the evaporator II. The chilliator is preferably an aluminum casting formed with heat radiating fins 35 and recesses in whichtrays of water for freezing ice cubes or other substances to be frozen may be placed. The cast aluminum chilliator is bolted or otherwise secured in a good thermal contact with the evaporator.

The cabinet I0 is provided with two legs 36 which are preferably detachably mounted on the front corners, as shown, to form the front legs of the refrigerator. If the refrigerator is to stand on the floor, the rear legs 31 and front legs 36 are secured in position and the refrigerator placed against a wall to close the back of the re- Y is frigerating apparatus unit, thereby forming a flue II. In operation, cooling of the apparatus is aided by the upward draft of air induced through the flue 39 due to the heating of the air therein by the heat emitting parts of the ref-rigerating apparatus. If it is not convenient to stand the refrigerator against a wall, the open back portion should be closed by a sheet of suitable material, not shown.

This refrigerator may be made in small sizes which can conveniently be hung on a wall, as indicated in Fig. 4. In this case the front legs 30 are detached and also the rear legs 31, if desired,

and the refrigerator suspended by the eyelets 11 on hooks 38 or the like in the wall.

It will beobvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes may be made in the construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is notlimited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the following claims.

I claim: I t

1. A refrigerator comprising a substantially rectangular cabinet having an opening in the rear wall thereof, a refrigerating unit comprising a rectangular casing forming an upright flue of substantially the same height and width as the rear wall of said cabinet and refrigerating apparatus permanently mounted within said flue with the cooling element extending therefrom, said cabinet and unit being removably assembled so that the cooling element extends through said opening into the cabinet, and supporting legs at the rear of said unit and at the front of said cabinet.

' 2. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having an aperture in a wall thereof, a refrigerating unit comprising a casing forming a vertical flue open at one side and refrigerating apparatus permanently mounted within said flue with the.cooling element extending horizontally from the opposite side, said cabinet and unit being removably assembled so that the cooling element extends through said aperture into the cabinet, and means for supporting the assembled refrigerator with the open side of the unit against a wall.

3. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having an aperture in a wall thereof a refrigerating unit comprising a structure closed at two opposite sides and open at the top, bottom, rear, and front, refrigerating apparatus mounted within said structure with the cooling element extending through the open front; said cabinet and unit being removably assembled so that the cooling element extends through, said aperture into the cabinet and the open front of said unit is closed by a wall of the cabinet; and means for supportingvthe assembled refrigerator with the rear of the unit against a wall thereby forming a flue around the refrigerating apparatus.

4. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having an aperture in a wall thereof and detachable legs for supporting the front; and a refrigerating unit comprising a box-like structure closed at two opposite sides and open at the top, bottom, front, and rear, refrigerating apparatus mounted within said structure with the cooling element extending through the open front, supporting legs for said unit, and means for suspending said unit with the rear against a wall; said cabinet and unit being removably assembled so that the cooling element extends through said aperture into the cabinet and the open front of the unit is closed by the rear wall of the cabinet.

5. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having detachable legs in the front, a recess in its bottom wall extending forwardly from the rear edge, andan aperture into said cabinet from the forward end of the recess; and a refrigmting apparatus unit comprising a structurehaving two 1 opposite side walls and open at the top; bottom, front, and rear, refrigerating apparatus mounted within said structure and having its cooling element mounted at the end of a supporti which exsupport is positioned in said recess in the bottom of the cabinet and the open front ofthe unit is closed by the rear wall of the cabinet.

6. A refrigeratorcomprising a cabinet ha ving detachable legs in the front, a recess in its bottom wall extending forwardly from the rearedge, and an aperture into said cabinet from the' forward end of the recess: a refrigerating unit comprising a structure formed with two opposite side walls and open at the top, bottom, front, and rear, refrigerating apparatus mounted within said structure and having its cooling element mounted at the end of a support which extends through the open front of saidv structure, supporting legs for said unit, and means for suspending said unit with the rear against a wall;

said cabinet and unit being removably assembled so that the cooling element extends through said aperture into the cabinet, the cooling element support is positioned in said recess in the bottom of the cabinet, and the open front of the unit is closed by the rear wall of the cabinet; and a removable cover for said recess in the bottom of the cabinet. I

7. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet formed with heat insulating walls enclosing a refrigerating compartment and having a recess in its bottom wall extending forwardly from the rear edge and an aperture from the forward end of the recess upwardly into the refrigerating compartment; detachable legs at thefront of said cabinet; and a refrigerating unit comprising a structure having two opposite side walls and open at the top, bottom, front, and rear, refrigerating apparatus of the absorption type with the generator, condenser, and absorber mounted within said structure and the evaporator supported'by connections extending through the open front of said structure, supporting legs for said unit, and

means for suspending said unit with the rear against a wall; said abinet and unit being removably assembled so that the evaporator extends through said aperture into the refrigerating compartment, the connections to the evaporator are positioned in said recess at the bottom of the cabinet, and the open front of the unit is closed by the rear wall of the cabinet.

8. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet formed with heat insulating walls enclosing a refrigerating compartment and having ajrecess' in its bottom wail extending forwardly. from the rear edge and an aperture from the forward end of the recess upwardly into the refrigerating compartment; detachable legs at the front of said cabinet; and a refrigerating apparatus unit comprising a structure having two opposite side walls and open at the top, bottom, front, and rear, absorption refrigerating apparatus of I the pressure equalized type in which circulates an inert gas mounted with the generator, condenser, and absorber within said structure, the gas heat exchanger extending outwardly through the open 5 front of said structure, and the evaporator mounted on the forward part of the heat exchanger; said cabinet and unit being removably assembled so that the evaporator extends upwardly in the refrigerating compartment through said aperture, the forward part of the gas heat exchanger is positioned in said recess in the bottom of the cabinet, and the open front of the unit is closed by the rear wall of the cabinet; a removable cover for said recess in the bottom of the cabinet; and means for supporting the refrigeratorwith the rear of the unit against a wall. 9. A refrigerator comprising, a cabinet having an aperture in a wall thereof, a refrigeration unit comprising a casing forming an upright flue open at opposite sides of the same dimensions as one side of said cabinet and refrigeration apparatus permanently mounted within said flue with the cooling element extending therefrom, said cabinet and unit being removably assembled so that the cooling element extends through said aperture into the cabinet and one open side of the flue is closed by a wall of the cabinet, and means for supporting the assembled refrigerator with the other open side of the flue against a wall. 10. In a refrigerator, a cabinet having a storage'compartmentformed bya thermal insulating wall structure having an aperture theretiirough and an external which merges with said aperture but does not extend into said compartment, and absorption refrigeration apparatus including a cooling element and a gas heat exchanger, said apparatus being removably assembled as a unit with said cabinet so that said cooling element is extended through said aperture into said compartment and said heat exchanger is in said recess.

11. In a refrigerator, a cabinet having a storage compartment formed by a thermal insulating wall structure having an aperture therethrough and 5 anexternal recess which merges with said aperture but does not extend into said compartment, absorption refrigeration apparatus including a cooling element and a gas heat exchanger, said apparatus being removably assembled as a unit 10 with said cabinet so that said cooling element is extended through said aperture into said compartment and said heat exchanger is in said re-- cess, and thermal insulation for closing said aperture and covering said recess when the unit and 15 cabinet are assembled.

12. In a refrigerator including a thermally insulated compartment and absorption refrigeration apparatus employing an inert pressure equalizing gas and including a gas heat exchanger, 20 thermal insulating wall structure forming said compartment and having a recess in an external surface in which recess said heat exchanger is located, and which recess is of a length greater than and a depth less than the thickness of said 25 wall structure.

13. In a refrigerator, a compartment formed by a thermal insulating wall structure, and absorption refrigeration apparatus employing inert pressure equalizing gas and including a gas heat so exchanger and a cooling element, said wall structure having an aperture through which said cooling element is inserted into said compartment upon assembly of said apparatus in the refrigerator, and said wall structure also having a recessed as channel in an external surface, which channel merges with said aperture but does not extend into said compartment and is adapted" to receive at least a portion of said heat exchanger.

' ERIK WENANDER. 4o 

